


The Future Is Bent (mostly Frender drabbles)

by Hobbes_ Cat (Wolf_Sabretooth)



Category: Futurama
Genre: Angst, Arguments, Cheating, Drabbles, Episodes, Fights, Fluff, Fun, Humour, Jealousy, M/M, One-Shot, Planet Express, Poetry, Robot, Romance, Set in 3000, Short, one shots, relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2019-10-31 13:46:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17850632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolf_Sabretooth/pseuds/Hobbes_%20Cat
Summary: Mostly non-serious, sometimes canon to plot, short stories.There are some angsty ones, I am an angst queen after all. Enjoy <3





	1. Mush

"C'mon, Fry! Faster, faster!"  
"I can't...go, on...too, damn, heavy-"  
"That's pure titanium to you, meatbag!"  
"I thought you were only 80% titanium."  
"Shuddup, Leela!"

Just another day at Planet Express. Fry and Leela had been checking the ship's engine...and by that, Leela was checking the engine and Fry was babbling about some dumb film franchise from the 90's. Something about some guy who shot a lot of guns and beat people up in every film he starred in. Leela didn't really care, she wasn't listening. Bender, the alcoholic, wiry robot of the crew, with sociopathic tendencies, had appeared from the sliding door behind the ship, and had crept up on them. Well, he had crept up on Fry; Leela had heard his metal footcups clanging on the floor from over 2 metres away, but she just ignored him. A few seconds later, and the robot had leapt onto Fry's back, wrapping all four bendy limbs around his body and yelling, "MUSH, HUMAN! MUSH!" Fry had been scared half to death, and staggered about clumsily, nearly falling over, as one would when a half ton of robot has just attached itself to you without any warning. Eventually, he had figured out what Bender wanted though, and had started reluctantly plodding about the ship hangar, panting and sweating from his extraordinary lack of physical fitness.

Bender turned his head 180° to scowl at Leela, grinning evilly. Usually, someone being able to turn their head over 360° with simple ease would be enough to give normal people nightmares, but Planet Express were far from normal people. "See, Leela! This is what those old 20th century meatbags meant when they said robots would take over humanity! I'm using Fry as a horse. Robots rule, yeah, I rule the world! Death to all humans - apart from Fry though, 'cus he's my new mode of transport." As he uttered these words, his human's legs gave out and they both crashed to the floor. Leela groaned, rolling her single eye, before walking back to the ship engine. "I can't believe I sacrificed some of my brain cells to watch that display. Bender, get over here and help me declog the calibrator, before I turn you into a giant screwdriver with the tin can opener!"

"Yes, ma'am!"  
"L-Leela, I think Bender bent my spine into a different shape..."  
"Oh, well, Dr Zoidberg will have to see you then-"  
"You know what, actually, it's fine! I can function alright with it, ahaha - OW!"  
"Hey, meatball, are you humans meant to resemble compressed Z's?"


	2. Jump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bender wants to show Fry a newly regained talent of his.

"Hey, Fry! Hey, Fry! Hey, Fry! Fry! Watch this!" The ginger male swivelled round on his heels, tilting his head to the side as his robot leapt up and down a few feet away, clanking as he did so. "Watch what?" The usual adolescent shine of innocence lit up in Fry's eyes, usually brought on by something new. Bender was often the subject of these light ups, and he prided himself on being able to shock his friend even in the 31st century. Now that his human's attention was on him, and only him - just the way he liked it, Bender grinned widely. "Just watch! Here-" Bender tilted his body back slightly, then relaxed his remote shoulder grip on his left arm; swinging to the side sharply, then back again, he threw the now loose, springy appendage, forward. Fry watched, enthralled, as the arm sped outwards for several hundred feet, before hitting him smack-bang in the face. He abruptly went down like a sack of potatoes, yelping as he did so. Bender sniggered loudly, then grabbed his extended arm with his right, and threw it backwards, like a lasso. Fry sat up, rubbing his forehead where the arm hit him. "Hey, watch it!" The arm flicked upwards from the concrete pavement and smacked him up the face instead, bitch-slapping him back down to the ground with a clang. Bender stumbled a bit from how hard he was laughing at that; slapping his meatbag about with his arm hadn't been intentional in the slightest, but goddamn was it a hilarious and amazing bonus. Fry struggled to sit up again, looking a bit woozy now - you would too, having been hit by a two stone, 90% titanium object, at great speed. Bender flicked his gaze to him, making sure he wasn't dead or comatose, before whistling at him. This drew Fry's flickering attention back to him; just in time. Bender's arm had been swinging round in tight, wide circles, for the past few moments, gaining speed and power. Fry watched, as Bender narrowed his eyes, before relinquishing his tight grip of his arm with his right hand, at the peak point of velocity. In short, his arm span outwards like a crazed grappling hook, before seizing hold of a nearby 5 storey building. Bender cackled at his successful performance, before bouncing up and down a little on his footcups, testing the grip of his arm. Fry managed to get to his feet, and clapped weakly, swaying a little. His face was already bruising, but it wasn't the worst injury he'd suffered in his time, by far. "Nice! Y-you're a cowboy now, or summink...I guess? Cool!" Bender rolled his eyes. "No dummy, I'm a wild force of devastating destruction. Watch this, again!" Bender pulled his shoulder brace back into place again, pulling his arm tight. Then, he leapt into the air, and shot through and up it, like a 150kg tape measure end, speeding towards its goal. He slammed into the side of the brick building his arm had attached itself to, leaving a sizeable Bender-shaped hole in the mortar. "Oops." He mumbled, half heartedly. Fry, meanwhile, was bouncing about below him, injuries totally forgotten, as he whooped in amazement.

"That was amazing!! How did you learn to do that?"

Bender leant against a nearby window pane, perched on the edge of a windowsill, as he looked down at his meatbag, coolly. He casually pulled his hatch open and whipped a cigar out of it, lighting it up with his finger and taking a deep, nonchalant drag, before speaking.

"I got bored at Bendin' School one day. I hadn't done it in ages until we had that delivery on Saturn the other day. I was pretty bored, 'cus the delivery actually went well for once, and I remembered how to do it!" The pretentious robot hesitated, before adding, "Did'j'ya like it?"

Fry laughed, exhilarated. "Liked it? I loved it! It was awesome! How many other things can you do like that?!"

Bender's eyes widened, then he laughed.

"Of course you loved it, you meatbags are so easily amused, it's kind of adorable~" He didn't say that no one had ever shown an interest in his antics before, and that Fry doing so had made him happy, ('You're not programmed to do that.', 'Why are you wasting time? Get back to bending, you worthless piece of junk.'). 

But, there were a lot of things that he often didn't say. Fry was his first and closest friend, after all. It made sense that he knew the most about the metal unit; Bender often felt insecure, and he knew he would tell Fry all in good time. 

"Can I try?!" 

Bender raised a programmed eyebrow. 

"No, 'cus you don't have bending arms, stupid." 

Fry scowled up at him. "I meant, can you do it again, with me on your back, or something?!" 

Bender grinned. 

"Ooooh, I get it now! How about I put you in my hatch, huh? Nice and safe~" "No way, you'd crush me into that wall!" "Exactly, meatbag!" "Hey!" 

The robot craned his kegs over, looking down at the pavement and Fry, which suddenly seemed so far below him. He glanced off to the side, looking nervous all of a sudden. "Uhh...hey, uh, how about this? You help me get down from here again, and I'll let you climb up onto my back the next time." 

Fry beamed. "Sure! Do you want me to get a ladder?"

"No!" Bender yelled indignantly. A few moments passed, then he hesitated, before eventually huffing and letting out a resigned, "Yes." 

Fry smiled knowingly, before sprinting off in the direction of the Planet Express Building. The robot straightened up whilst he was gone, crossing his arms as he did so. 

"Stupid meatball, knows me so well."

He smiled to himself, already planning their next heist together, putting his newly regained ability to the test.


	3. friend _ poem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small poem I wrote whilst lamenting on Ghost In The Machine and The Mutants Are Revolting.
> 
> Thank you so much, to all those who have left kudos on these works so far, and for all the hits, it makes me very happy to see that some of you do enjoy reading my dumb fluff :)

My friend

I was the only one who cried when you died  
My heart and pride barely survived

I believe you when you say you're sorry, but I don't know why  
I think it must be a deep, inherent trust  
It's not allowed to be love

My friend

I know I make mistakes, and I'm an alcoholic mess  
I don't deserve your smile and your unwavering caress  
Of your hand upon my shoulder or upon my side

My actions and words don't always speak the truth  
That I inherently love and trust you  
We are allowed to love

Know that my weak apology may not mean much to you  
But that you mean the world to me  
And I'm sorry

For all that I was meant to be  
And am not. For you.

My friend  
Apology accepted, as per usual  
Simply because I miss your face when you're not around

Will you kiss my lips  
So I remember this moment  
The next time you inevitably let me down

My friend  
I will love you in every shape or form you come in  
It is your soul and bright smile that I have grown to love  
I shall kiss you, my pathetic meatbag  
So you shall know how you make me weak at the knees

I shall kiss you  
And make this moment last a lifetime

 

It is the only lifetime that I need  
If I spend it with you


	4. The Late Straight Philip J. Fry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hijacked the episode: The Late Philip J. Fry.
> 
> I don't own Futurama, etc, etc. This is a fanwork only.  
> I watched way too many episodes in one go.  
> Please help me.
> 
> (Eh, spoilers alert.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lowkey liked this episode and decided to write about it. This does not happen often, I am as surprised as you are that I have done something author-y.  
> Also hey, I may have butchered a few canon lines as such, but I went off the memory of watching this, and then half of series 5 on top of it.  
> Also I didn't proofread it.  
> Lemme know if you enjoyed it, if you want to.

So, this was it. The year 10 billion. Fry stared out at the vast expanse of cracked, dry land. Funny, he had always figured he'd be too dead to witness the end of his universe, but alas, fate had had other plans for him. Too bad he'd be missing his date with Leela, the girl of his life. The ginger trudged onward, pausing briefly in step to gaze at an old, crumbling cavern... 

"The cavern on the green!" Fry gasped, then ran forward into its grim, scorched depths. Inside though, it was cool, damp, and huge stalactites dangled precariously from the domed ceiling above. The moss and lichen there had long since died, along with their following mutated genomes. Fry shoved his hands in his pockets and traipsed down the smooth, crumbling stone steps. He sighed shakily, "Well, Leela...I made it. I'm sorry I'm late." His eyes were then drawn to a collection of tiny bumps on the ground. My stomach tightened and his jaw dropped in shock. The tiny bumps of stalagmites were spelling out a message.

 _Dear Fry,_  
Even though the time we spent together was short, it was the best time of my life.  
\- Leela

The man out of time sniffled, his eyes filling with cold tears. "Oh Leela..."

***

Back at the Planet Express craft, Bender the robot and Professor Hughbert Farnsworth were outside of the ship; Bender smoking and Farnsworth sat on the edge of the craft's doorstep. Bender puffed out a few drags, before grinding his teeth and swivelling around to face down the older man.  
"Hey Professor, what's gonna happen to us now?"  
Farnsworth groaned, shrugging, the burning sun reflecting off his thick lenses.  
"I don't know, Bender. I assume we fade into oblivion."  
Bender raised an electronic eyebrow.  
"Well, that's depressing."  
The professor pulled a face.  
"It is...but, it also means that anything we do right now is inconsequential. It's rather liberating, actually. We're going to die, therefore the world is our oyster...metaphorically."  
Bender stared at his cigar.  
"I don't like seafood."  
Silence passed between the pair, then was broken by the sound of approaching footsteps crunching loudly on the barren, cracked ground. The robot looked up to see his friend Fry traipsing towards them. His processors lit up a little; he was grateful to see the meatbag again. If he was gonna fade into oblivion, might as well have someone he cares about beside him all the way. Fry reached them, sighing heavily and taking his hands out of his pockets.  
"Well, since we're gonna die anyways now, may as well crack open a 6 pack and watch the universe explode."  
Farnsworth got to his feet, and Bender opened his hatch and pulled out 6 beers.  
"I'll drink to that."  
The professor smiled.  
"I'll go power her up."  
As he ambled back into the machine, Fry stood next to Bender, and they both stared out at the lifeless expanse that used to be their home. The robot wrestled internally for a few moments, then turned his head to look at his human buddy. 

"Hey, Fry? Since we're about to die and stuff...can I tell you something?"  
Fry looked back at Bender curiously.  
"Sure. What is it?"  
Bender looked uneasy, rocking on his feet for a few seconds, then he fixed his gaze on his beer, drawing courage from its Stella Artois 8.0 label. 

"Um...well...y'see...after Lucy Liu happened, and then later Amy and I started going out, I overcame my robophobia. I'm okay with robosexuals now."  
"Well, that's good-"  
"Hey, shut up meatball, I'm not finished! Anyways... I started dreaming and thinking about you a lot."

Fry stared at the Stella Artois label too.  
"But, robots defragment their brains at night, of course you'd 'dream' about me, you see me all the time during the day. I dream about you too. Just the other night, I dreamt you were suffocating me with a pillow."  
"I was, Fry."  
"Oh! That explains a lot then. Go on."  
The robot rolled his eyes.  
"Yeesh, Fry. Anyways. What I'm tranna say is, and since the professor said anything we do now is inconsequential...I might as well tell yah now, that...that I think I love you. Like, I loved Amy. Like I love hookerbots and beer. Like, you love Leela. You make me happy, and you make me wanna be somebody. And at the end of the day, I think that's all that really matters."  
Fry was suddenly really interested in the beer can that Bender was holding.  
"Oh...really?"  
Bender stared at the human's ginger cowlick, noticing how the blistering sun rays filtered gently through it.  
"Yeah, really. So uh, that's all. Wanna watch the universe blow up and die now?"  
Fry managed to tear his gaze from the beer can and found himself looking into a pair of familiar glowing yellow eyes instead.  
"Huh...yeah, sure. Why not?"  
Bender smiled, and Fry's mind instantly flashed through all the moments they'd ever spent together. All the arguments, fights, insults...all of the hugs, laughs and dancing. They'd fought and had spats like a married couple for years now, and he'd never even twigged it. Fry knew he was slow, but this had really taken the cake, even for him. Too bad cake no longer existed...mind you, neither did anything.  
All that did, was him, the professor, and his lovely robot, Bender. Everything was inconsequential, the universe was about to explode, and they were the only two people standing on this abandoned planet.

Fry stepped froward and placed his hands on either side of Bender's cylindrical head, then leant in and pressed his lips to the electric space were Bender's would be. He's seen Amy and plenty of bots kiss Bender before, so he sorta knew how to do it. He felt static electricity tingling his face, and then he pulled away, and took the 6 pack of cans from Bender's other hand, pulling one off and placing the others back in the robot's hatch. Fry flicked the catch off and heard the hiss of carbon air escape. He exhaled in relief, then took a few gulps from it. Bender looked taken aback, and was staring at the ground to the left of Fry, but his eyes seemed to be smiling. 

"Well...that was easy. And, kinda anticlimactic, honestly."  
Fry grinned.  
"These things always are."

The professor stuck his head out of the craft. 

"Fantastic, you're both gay and robot sinners, and I had to watch it! Oh well, come on in and die with me already."

Bender reached out and took Fry's spare hand, taking a gulp from his beer can with the other.

"See you in hell then, meatbag."

Fry smirked at him. 

"I'll be waiting for you."


	5. The Hip Joint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hijacked another episode. Sue me.

Fry had abandoned Leela in favour of dancing with Bender.  
She was left alone with Nibbler.

She sighed, blowing a stray purple hair out of her face.  
She wasn't surprised, really. She'd kept rejecting Fry in the hopes that he'd realise who was really staring at him when his back was turned.  
She pressed the button to refill her martini glass, then drunk it back in one go.  
She felt lighter, and happier.  
Maybe she should try and get Zapp into therapy. He had the potential to be a decent human being, as long as the first 500 layers of his personality were forcibly removed.  
She watched as Bender affectionately narrowed his gaze at Fry, and snuck an arm around his waist. She snorted. Fry really was as slow as a lethargic snail hyped up on heroine, but, she had to hand it to the robot; he certainly had far more patience than she could ever have for a romantic interest.  
She wasn't getting involved though. Bender seemed to be managing just fine on his own.  
She refilled her martini again, then side-eyed Nibbler. One more drink, then home to bed. She was getting too old for this nightclubbing crap. She wanted to finish reading Harry Potter MMMC: Dumbledore the Gay. J.K Rowling's head had promised this one would be the best retcon yet, and Leela didn't want to be let down.  
She finished her martini, then got up and stretched. Fry tripped and fell against Bender, drunkenly wrapping his arms round the bot's head. Leela caught Bender's eye, and saw how he looked at the scruffy redhead with such soft adoration.  
Fry would be safe and left to sober up tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I made a Harry Potter is gay™️ joke.  
> What? It's pride month after all! :)


	6. After Meanwhile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I like to think that in Futurama post-Meanwhile, aka, the last ever episode, can be canon to whatever we think it is.

Past lives are strange things.

Fry remembered everything from before the time freeze. Before he grew old with Leela, and the Professor brought them back to an unfrozen reality.

He remembered the smell of Leela's conditioner. Her soft hair. The mesmerising purple of her iris. Her full, smirking, pink-coated lips. He remembered loving her. Holding her soft hands.

He dreamt about his past life with her each night.

He had no idea if Leela remembered it too. It was too weird of a question to even begin broaching in a conversation, in case she didn't.

He remembered stating that he couldn't wait to do it all over again.   
Crushing on her, courting her, loving her.   
But, did he REALLY want to do it all again?

He'd been given a second chance. A new life. A rare opportunity.

He was allowed to stand here at a crossroads. Leela, or...someone else?

And if someone else...who? Was he really going to throw it all away on her, when he already knew how that story ended?

"Hey, meatbag. Earth to Fry?! Helloooo?! All My Circuits is on! Pay attention and listen, dumbo. This is Calculon's big confession, alright? It's important. He's done something terrible, again, and I can't wait to find out what!"

Him.

Fry had decided.


	7. cow _ poem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because angst and possessive bender.

The minutes drag by  
Binary clocks ticking on his interface  
His beloved waited on a lie  
All alone now, what a waste

Sat upon the bed beside his sleeping form  
His robotic emotions felt torn  
Because god his human felt so warm  
But each breath was a struggle, his voice box laced by a thorn

Because this human wasn't his  
He was hers  
But something in their love was amiss  
And the line between them blurs

The robot got up from the bed  
He was sick and tired of waiting  
Leela had left far too many words unsaid  
And Fry's unwavering lust for her was just frustrating

He glared down at the phone on the bedside table  
Fry was asleep, had given up on staring at its screen  
What a pathetic, overdone fable  
She was acting like a complete and utter drama queen

She accused his human of immaturity  
But she was the one afraid of commitment  
So lost in her own insecure obscurity  
Of her imagination he was but a figment

Why did she only love him when he was pretending to be another,  
Bender had loved him from their very first meeting  
Leela, he would rather kill and smother  
Than let her kill his adoration or accuse him of fleeting

He had never wanted someone more  
Human or robot  
Fry made him burn to his very core  
There was no emotional wound Fry couldn't clot

Finally, a message appeared on the phone screen  
'Honey, I'm sorry. Let's talk.'  
Bender scowled, and picked up the device  
He knew Fry's password, that's more than she did

He went into the messages, swiped and deleted  
Her pathetic plea for redemption was gone  
Her half arsed apology, she could keep it  
Fry wasn't just a prize to be won

He was everything to Bender.  
He put the phone back down, its screen now empty.  
Fry's eyes flickered open, and he looked straight to the robot.  
His robot smiled.

Fry glanced to the phone.  
'Has she called? Any texts from her?'  
Bender leaned down to him.  
'Not a thing', he said, with a purr

Fry leant up, and decided to kiss him  
Bender kissed back and held him, completely on instinct  
From Leela his Fry had finally been unlinked  
'She had her chance.' The robot thought.

He's all mine now.  
And unlike you, I will take care of him, you selfish, unthinking, shallow cow.


	8. Bitter and Twisted

Fry took off his coat, and draped it around Leela's shoulders with a caring smile. "There, now you won't get cold." Leela blushed. "Thank you, Fry."

Bender watched from across the ship hangar, trying not to throw up.

Yeah yeah, he knew Fry and Leela were smitten, but he was allowed to be a bit bitter and twisted, right? After all, no one had noticed that Bender was all alone now. No one had noticed that Fry was always too busy for him. No one had noticed how he slunk off to the club more and more often. Most of all, _Fry_ never noticed.

Why? What made _Leela_ so special?!

After all, it had been Bender who had been there as a shoulder for Fry to cry on, _not_ Leela. It had been _Bender_ who had carried Fry back bridal style from the club when he had drank too much to walk. Bender, who had placed him gently on his bed and watched over him until morning, to make sure he wasn't sick in his sleep. It had been _Bender_ who had rescued him from that parasitic planet. Bender who had fought the robot devil to save his friend's soul!

Well...yes, Bender had also fucked up his fair share of things...but so had Fry! That meant they had history. He and Leela didn't. They had _nothing_! Nothing made _her_ special! She didn't care about him like he did. She rejected him for years, broke his heart, made him feel like shit. It had been Bender who had raised him back up again, held him tightly, encouraged his hollaphone hobby...Bender had been there for him, _not_ Leela.

Is this why he felt so awful all the time now? Is that why jealousy bubbled in him like battery acid reflux when Leela and Fry kissed? Or was he just possessive.

The robot let his thoughts rush in, confused, looking for answers, letting the barricades to his emotions fall for just a minute, as Fry led Leela away to the living room, still not seeing Bender, as always.

That bitch, always with him. Always hanging from his arm, onto his every word.

Why?!

Taking up his time. Taking his Fry away from him. Yes, dammit, Fry was HIS Fry.

What business did she have swooping in and carrying him away whenever she fancied it? One bat of her eyelashes and he was hers.

Bender couldn't do that, couldn't bat anything to make Fry fall for him- Wait.

Replay that thought.

 _That bitch, always with him_ \- no, no, no!

The other one.

_Making Fry fall for him..._

Bender's circuits seemed to buffer for a few minutes. Fall for him with what? Love?

Like he did for Leela, that was just- ...just... Oh no.

Just, so plausible.

The robot staggered to the nearest chair and slumped in it, banging his fist forcefully against his head.

It echoed with a dull, metallic clang.

So, that was it.

So fucking obvious now, that he could see it.

Shit. He was in love with Fry.

This hunk of useless metal wanted something fragile made of flesh and blood, to love. How poetic... and how hopeless.

Time to get his brain rewired...looks like the coding to wipe his memory hard drive from the last realisation must have worn off.

How long could he keep doing this before his brain busted completely?

Oh well.

Better insanity than complete humiliation...right?

Because, Fry would never feel that way...so better to keep hacking his coding until it stopped hurting...whenever that would happen.


	9. Tear You Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was heavily inspired to write this by the song Tear You Apart by She Wants Revenge.
> 
> Trigger warnings for violence towards the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, don't ask me where all this writing inspiration is coming from, 'cus I have no clue either, okay? Lol.

* * *

 

It wasn't meant to mean anything.

 

Nothing was meant to happen.

 

When Bender had told Fry how he felt, it had been unlike him. Quiet, planned out, thoughtful, nothing dramatic. He said he wanted to stay friends, because he knew Fry was with Leela, but he just hadn't been able to hide his feelings anymore. He didn't want to lose Fry either way.

 

Fry was flattered, obviously. They remained friends.

 

The kiss wasn't meant to happen.

 

After bath time, Bender had been towel drying Fry all over in his customary way, making his hair go all frizzy, rubbing his face roughly and making him laugh through the cotton. His head had appeared through the material and he'd caught the robot's eye, they'd both paused, and in an instant his lips were pressed to a warm, grooved surface, fizzing with static electricity. It wasn't meant to happen. They'd pulled back, and Fry saw Bender's optics go soft. 

 

That had been an accident. They'd dismissed it and moved on like nothing happened. It was all too natural, it had felt too lovely.

 

Fry had felt the guilt beginning to gnaw inside of him when Leela sat down next to him on the sofa, her hand resting on his. After so many years of rejection from her, he'd finally won the woman of his dreams. The quiet confession from his best friend didn't have to mean anything...didn't have to change or affect anything.

 

She'd looked at him with utter trust and love in her eye, and his insides would twist into a fake smile back upon his face.

 

_Stop it, brain. Stop it, heart. Stop ruining things._

 

Everything could stay how it was. Bender's confession changed nothing, they were still best friends. He had overstepped no boundaries, done nothing out of the ordinary. Again, unlike him.

 

These thoughts grew and grew in Fry's brain, making him think of the robot when he kissed Leela. She thought he was blushing for her, but he was just flushed with embarrassment at the fact Bender was in his brain at these unnecessary moments.

 

The two friends ended up in the living room by themselves, and every inch of Fry was aching with conflict. He was too curious to see what kissing Bender would be like again, whilst all too aware of the fact Leela was putting her trust him.

 

Maybe she didn't love him that much anyways. She had always been so reluctant to go out with him in the first place... whereas Bender was always by his side, had always had his back, no matter what.

 

He leaned over and nudged Bender's shoulder with his head, feeling incredibly stupid now that he thought about it.

 

The robot turned to look at him, and grinned. "What is it, meatbag?"

 

Calculon screamed at his cheating wife on screen, as Fry took a deep breath and leaned in once again, his lips meeting the plate were his friends' mouth would be if he were human. It was better than kissing a human though, because it sent real electricity through him, not like that fake mushy stuff people write about in romance stories. Bender rested a gentle hand on his waist.

 

Again, too lovely. Too soft.

 

It all came too naturally.

 

It wasn't long before Leela started to suspect that something was up, and that made Fry tense. They soon became enwrapped in some kind of weird dance upon eggshells; the more danger Fry plunged into, the more his heart pounded when Bender stood by him, and the more he craved the feeling of electricity upon his skin. It was toxic. The more Leela scrutinised him, the more he felt the need to leap up onto the conference table and scream about how much he wanted Bender. He didn't know what was wrong with him.

 

Leela would have her back to them, running through the ship diagnostics to Hermes, asBender slipped an arm around Fry's waist, and Fry let him lead him into the nearest store cupboard. He'd gaze at the wall, as Bender's beer breath hushed against his neck, sending goosebumps dancing all over his skin. This is wrong, he'd think, kissing Bender back. This isn't right, he'd mutter internally, wrapping his arms around his neck, passionately, to pull him closer. I should tell Leela, he thought. 

 

_But how?_

 

They'd exit the store cupboard silently, and Bender would flick a smirking gaze over to him, as Fry tried to nurse the blush at his throat. The robot never left marks or bites, never left anything incriminating. Fry never went farther than a kiss.

 

He wouldn't, until things with Leela had ended.

 

But, again, how to tell her? They were coworkers, and she'd freak out if she realised it was Bender he'd left her for. Fry pondered on this often, as he lay in Bender's arms at night, listening to him muttering under his breath in his sleep about killing all humans.

 

_What was he doing?_

 

It ended, eventually, as all things do.

 

During a solo delivery to Omicron Persei 8, Leela shut off the throttle halfway back to earth. They floated lifelessly in limbo, reminding Fry of their relationship. Bender kicked his legs off the control panel and sat up in his swivel chair; across the ship, Fry anxiously picked at his fingers. 

 

"Hey, what's the hold up? We out of fuel, or something?"

 

Leela stood up from the pilot's chair, and turned around. Her single eye glistened in fury, her face parched white, like aggravated bone. Uh oh.

 

When she spoke, it came out in a single, harsh whisper, hissed like a snake.

 

"Just how long did you think you could go on hiding this from me, Fry?"

 

Fry's stomach dropped. Bender froze, then attempted to brush it off, but Leela had noticed. It was all the evidence she needed. Her nostrils flared.

 

"FRY! ANSWER ME!" She flung a shaking finger at the robot, grinding her teeth. "Why have you been cheating on me, with that slutty manbot?!"

 

Bender's head snapped round to stare at Leela, his eyes narrowing to slits. "Hey, fucking watch it, bitch."

 

Fry struggled to stand up, his legs feeling like jelly. He knew this would happen, but he somehow wished it hadn't.

 

"L-Leela, please, I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how...it's not really something you can bring up in conversation."

 

Leela's eye filled with tears, and her mascara began to run. Fry knew she was in absolute pain, and hated himself for it. His hands shook.

 

"YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST _TRIED_ TO THOUGH, YOU ASSHOLE!"

 

_She was right..._

 

Bender watched silently from the sidelines, having become painfully aware of how it felt to be a homewrecker. Fry did his best to straighten up to his furious girlfriend.

 

"I know...and this is all my fault. I'm so sorry. I don't know what started it, but I knew I should've told you. It just seemed easier not to..."

 

Leela marched up to him, stared at him square in the face, then drew back her hand and slapped him hard across the face. The hit was so hard it brought him to the ground, and his vision flashed as his skin smarted, going numb. Venom flashed in Leela's eye, and Fry thought, 'I deserve this. If she kills me, I deserve it.'

 

Then, a metal leg thunked down in front of his vision, separating him from Leela's wrath.

 

"Leela, I know you're mad, understandably so...but, perhaps we should all take a moment to calm ourselves, and then try and sort this out with clear heads."

 

So calm. So unlike Bender. It stunned Fry that the robot actually had the capability to be a peacemaker; it seemed only possible when he was concerned.

 

Leela stared hard at Bender, her body trembling. "You're telling ME to keep a calm, cool, clear head? PERHAPS YOU SHOULD HAVE TRIED THAT WHEN YOU WERE FUCKING MY BOYFRIEND!" With that, the cyclops kicked Bender hard in the face, with a furious, 'HIYAH', and then leapt upon him, screeching like a banshee.

 

Fry stumbled to get up, his jaw still hanging from the bone shaking slap he'd received earlier, as he watched his two lovers fighting on the floor of the ship. He wondered if he should tell Leela that they'd never actually gone farther than a kiss. Leela was inconsolable though, and fighting like a wretched, howling beast. She scratched Bender's paintwork off with her nails, and left dents in his metal chest from her fists. Fry could see Bender losing patience swiftly, his teeth plates growing jagged and his eyes narrowing to angry slits. This robot had the ability to bend trucks in half without breaking a sweat, he didn't want to see what he could do to Leela's fragile skeleton if it came to it.

 

"Both of you, _PLEASE_ , STOP FIGHTING!"

 

Leela paused, holding Bender's face down with one hand, her other drawn back in a fist. She slowly turned her head to glare at Fry coldly, scowling deeply. Her hair had come undone in lengthy strands, and there was a bruise on her jaw where Bender's hand had clipped her. Her face was slick with sweat, and she was breathing heavily through her nose.

 

Slowly, she backed up and stood up over Bender, then turning to take a few paces towards Fry to stand before him.

 

Fry's shoulders slumped, as Bender staggered to his feet behind her. "I-I'm...so, so sorry, Leela... I never meant for it to get this far...I'm so sorry that I hurt you."

 

The cyclops nodded calmly, gazing at him in a calculating stare. Then, she drew back her fist and punched him hard in the face.

 

It was a while before Fry came to, after that. His nose had been broken, and he woke up in the medical bay, face throbbing. He looked over, seeing Bender staring at the Professor a few feet away, as the scientist hit his casing with a hammer to get the dents out of it. Bender seemed to have a smashed optic now, which wasn't the case from before Fry had been knocked out.

 

The robot turned to look at him, and seemed to sag a little with relief to see him awake.

 

"Hey, meatbag."

 

Fry sighed, shakily.

 

"Hey, Bender."

 

His robot smiled gently at him, continuing to speak over the noise of the thudding hammer hitting his side. "I have good news and bad news."

 

Fry nodded, with painful difficulty. "What's the good news?"

 

The Professor finally stopped hammering, and straightened up, hobbling away; Bender flexed an arm, studying it for any further injuries.

 

"Well, after Leela punched your lights out, she and I got into a pretty bad fight. I came off worse though, and I think after using me as a ruthless punching bag for a couple of hours, she worked most of her anger out on me. I think she may come around to seeing what the difficulty was with telling her, if you guys just sit down and have a calm talk-through about it all."

 

Fry sighed again, feeling a little lighter. He had never meant to break Leela's heart, and if he had any hopes of salvaging their old friendship, by god he would take them. _But..._

 

"Okay...what's the bad news then?"

 

Bender turned his head to look at him, his broken optic flickering, as he smiled bracingly.

 

"I think you're next for the punching bag."

 

_Oh god._

**Author's Note:**

> More to come.  
> Please drop a review down below and a vote if you enjoyed.  
> I may take requests.


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